Actually, this is amazing information. I, and I guess so did others, believed that when a star went red giant, it would destroy all of it’s nearest planets. Well, after reading this recent e-article, it seems that is not the case.

A star that has been labeled as KOI-55 has reached it’s red giant phase. It had a group of planets which were in orbit of it. It was assumed that when stars expanded into red giants, all of the planets within the immediate realm would be engulfed and destroyed. However, that is not the case with KOI-55!

Two planets that orbited this star before it’s deadly expansion were able to survive the red giant phase! The worlds have the designations KOI 55.01 and KOI 55.02. The star, KOI-55, was classified as a Subdwarf B star, which is more luminous than usual subdwarf stars, and it produces more heat.

It is not known as to how many planets are in this system, or were in this system. Yet, research is showing that two worlds that orbited KOI 55 were able to survive their star’s red giant phase! That is a very unusual discovery because it was thought, it was assumed that stars which reach their end-levels, expanding into red giants, all of the planets in the way would be absorbed and incinerated. Nothing was supposed to be left after the star charred the worlds beyond recognition!

KOI 55.01 and KOI 55.02 are the smallest worlds that have been recognized in orbit of a star that is not The Sun. Their orbital paths are within the realm that is enveloped by stars expanding into red giants. The worlds themselves are speculated to have been gas giants, and what can be seen now is all that remains after the infernal absorption.

Professors from The University of Toulouse Research Institute of Astrophysics observed KOI-55, seeing that the star had gone through it’s red giant phase. These researchers continued to review the star, seeing that it’s closest worlds indeed were engulfed when the star expanded. Yet, unexpectedly, the worlds were not destroyed completely by the smoldering swallow of KOI-55. Instead, a remnant core remained, seared completely, yet still present. These findings were confirmed by Iowa State University Astronomy and Physics (Astrophysics…) Professor Steve Kawaler.

These planets are within orbits of KOI-55 that are closer to it than Mercury is to The Sun. So, they already were outrageously hot. Their proximate positions to the star made them immediate targets when it expanded into it’s red giant phase. However, the task now is to find out how it is that KOI 55.01 and KOI 55.02 were able to survive an ultimate incineration process!